MAPUSA
Aldona villagers unanimously resolved to reject any new construction of temporary or permanent jetties, whether on government or private land, during the latest gram sabha meeting. The only exception made was for the renovation of the existing jetty in Aldona.
Former panchayat member Thomas Tavares initiated the discussion, questioning whether a proposal for a private jetty, either for tourism or other purposes, had been submitted to the panchayat. He also raised concerns about the potential expansion of the current jetty. In response, villager Cosme Fernandes firmly stated that any proposal for a new jetty should be rejected.
Aldona Sarpanch Ashwin D'Souza clarified that there were no such proposals for jetty construction in the panchayat area. Following this, the gram sabha passed a resolution to prohibit the construction of new jetties within the village.
Another issue raised during the meeting concerned a construction project in Panarim, Aldona, where zoning changes had been made. Villager Oldrin Pereira requested the panchayat to revoke the house number assigned to the contentious project. However, the Sarpanch declined to discuss the matter, citing its ongoing status in court, and confirmed that this decision had been made during a previous panchayat meeting.
Additionally, Joseph Fernandes, a local resident, called for the stationing of traffic police near two educational institutes in Aldona to alleviate traffic congestion and ensure student safety. The Sarpanch agreed to send a request to the traffic police for action.
The Sarpanch also informed the gram sabha that a panchayat development plan was being prepared, with the aim of approving projects under the grants provided by the 15th Finance Commission.
